So the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) have just held their awards night.
Since ARMA are supposed to be the regularity overseer this does rather appear to be a clear conflict of interest?
How are you going to discipline a member one day and give them an award the next day?
Looking at the "Highly Commended" large/national managing agents we see the names of Warwick Estates and Firstport.
Being highly commended represents quite a turn around for Warwick Estates, since it was not that long ago that following a fatality in a lift shaft accident, Warwick Estates were fined £120,000, plus £45,000 costs for their failures. They were also fined £20,000 by the RICS, refused to pay and resigned from the RICS.
What then of the regulator ARMA?
ARMA refused to investigate! Indeed, Sally Keeble the Head of Regulation, ARMA resigned in protest.
And here we are according to ARMA, Warwick Estates are "Highly Commended"
Firstport? "Highly Commended"
When they are heavily fined for breaches of Health & Safety resulting in a death?
When they still have not paid back £1,400,000 stolen from the elderly who they price fixed?
When they are featured on Rip Off Britain?
When the social media is swamped with stories of Firstport failures?
When they have effectively been forced to sell house manager's flats and lease them back?
When they have had to re-finance at distressed company rates after their previous backers pulled out?
When the majority of their contracts come from "forced" imposition on leaseholders?
If that is "Highly Commended" imagine what a lesser managing agent may be like?
Still Firstport did win a couple of awards?
Zane Anise Congratulations being awarded "Concierge of the Year"
Coral Keaton, "Service Charge of the Year
Hands up the number of residents who voted for Coral?
Actually, as much as Firstport may wish to celebrate, given the size of the company such a meagre return from an awards ceremony is not great?
